This invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing apparatus and method, and a program, and more particularly to an information processing system, an information processing apparatus and method, and a program wherein an image of a predetermined region can be picked up and an image of moving bodies in the predetermined region can be picked up.
In recent years, in order to assure the security, a multi-point camera monitoring system (multi camera system) is frequently adopted, for example, in a bank, a parking area, a house and so forth in which an automatic teller machine (ATM) is placed.
Such a multi camera system as described above includes a plurality of video cameras and a recording apparatus for recording images acquired by the video cameras. An apparatus for use with such a multi camera system as described above has been proposed wherein a plurality of images are reduced in scale and combined into a one-frame image as disclosed for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-108163. Also a device has been proposed wherein images from a plurality of video cameras are collected and recorded on a recording medium such as a video tape as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-243062.
FIG. 1 shows an appearance of an example of a multi camera system in related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, the multi camera system 1 shown includes four cameras 11-1 to 11-4. The cameras 11-1 to 11-4 are stationary cameras whose photographing direction is fixed or pan tilt zoom cameras whose photographing direction is variable. The cameras 11-1 to 11-4 monitor a region 21 of a circular wide area of a diameter of 40 m, for example, in a parking area.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a configuration of the multi camera system 1 shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, each of the cameras 11-1 to 11-4 picks up an image. The cameras 11-1 to 11-4 are individually connected to a recording apparatus 41 and supply analog signals of images obtained by image pickup to the recording apparatus 41. The recording apparatus 41 records image data which are digital signals of images obtained by A/D conversion of the analog signals of the images supplied from the cameras 11-1 to 11-4. Further, the recording apparatus 41 is connected to a display apparatus 42 and causes the display apparatus 42 to display an image corresponding to the image data.
However, in the multi camera system 1 in FIG. 2, the cameras which can be connected to the recording apparatus 41 are limited to only four cameras 11-1 to 11-4, and therefore, the extensibility of the multi camera system 1 is poor.
FIG. 3 shows another example of the configuration of the multi camera system 1 in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 3, the cameras 11-1 to 11-4 are connected to a personal computer (PC) 52 through a network 51. Each of the cameras 11-1 to 11-4 picks up an image and transmits image data obtained by the image pickup to the PC 52 through the network 51 in accordance with the IP (Internet Protocol). The PC 52 records the image data and displays an image corresponding to the image data.
Now, the image data to be recorded in the recording apparatus 41 shown in FIG. 2 or the PC 52 shown in FIG. 3 is described with reference to FIG. 4.
As seen in FIG. 4, the recording apparatus 41 or the PC 52 records all of the image data obtained by the cameras 11-1 to 11-4. Accordingly, where the multi camera system 1 is used for monitoring, even if the image data are compressed in accordance with a predetermined compression method, the amount of the image data to be recorded in the recording apparatus 41 or the PC 52 is very great.
For example, where image data compressed under predetermined conditions (50 KB/frame, 10 frame/sec) in accordance with the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) system are recorded for 24 hours, in the multi camera system 1 formed from four cameras 11-1 to 11-4, the amount of image data to be recorded in the recording apparatus 41 or the PC 52 is approximately 164 GB. Further, where the multi camera system 1 is formed from eight cameras, the amount of image data is approximately 328 GB, and where the multi camera system 1 is formed from sixteen cameras, the amount of image data is approximately 656 GB.
In this manner, in the multi camera system 1, the four cameras 11-1 to 11-4 are required in order to monitor the region 21. Therefore, installation of the cameras is cumbersome, and the cost of the multi camera system 1 is high. Further, where high definition images are acquired, image pickup must be performed under a condition of a high image pickup magnification. Therefore, a greater number of cameras 11-1 to 11-4 are required. Further, where the number of the cameras 11-1 to 11-4 is not increased while it is intended to acquire high definition images, it is difficult to acquire high definition images regarding the entire region 21. Therefore, it is necessary for the operator to usually monitor normal images and designate a desired region to acquire a high definition image of the region.
Thus, a monitoring camera is available which can monitor a situation over a wide range by means of a single camera by successively picking up an image of an object while the photographing direction is successively shifted to obtain a panorama image of the entire object formed from a plurality of unit images.